Oscars stardom for South Devon wrapping firm

STARS including Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep may not get their hands on an Oscar on Sunday, but they will definitely get their hands on a South Devon product.

This year's Academy Awards goody bags for nominees will include reusable gift wrap from a firm based in Staverton near Totnes.

Wrag Wrap, a fabric reusable gift wrap, was launched in October, 2012, by Nicky Rajska and her sister-in-law Louise Oldridge, both aged 43, with the aim of offering a luxury and eco alternative to wrapping paper.

Nicky said they were 'absolutely thrilled' Crackle Wrap was selected to be the sustainable product in the Oscar nominees' goody bags.

Crackle Wrap, one of Wrag Wrap's best-selling products, is made from recycled polyester.

Speaking about the Oscars, Nicky said: "We applied because we felt we could tap into the very commercialised and opulent film industry and show we can reuse things and these things can be beautiful. We hope the nominees use the wrap and pass it on and it helps convert their mindset."

Nicky, who used to work in acquisitions and commissioning for the BBC, and Louise, who used to work as a consultant anaesthetist, decided to start their own business after they found themselves struggling to balance their work and family commitments.

The idea for Wrag Wrap came after they spent several Christmases together and noticed the mountain of discarded wrapping paper growing as their families grew.

Nicky said: "One Christmas, it came to us there was an answer to the rubbish.

"We did some online research and realised people have wrapped gifts in fabric before, but the tradition went by the wayside when paper wrapping came on to the market in about the 1950s."

The mothers got some of the fabric for their wrap by collecting tents which people had left behind at festivals.

Last Christmas, Wrag Wrap was on the shelves in Selfridges and for six of the weeks it was on sale, it outsold conventional gift wrap.

Nicky said the pair were looking forward to the future.

She said: "It's very hard work, but it's amazing. At the moment, we're talking to other retailers in the UK and we're looking at the US market."

Perhaps, if any of the Oscar nominees are grabbed by the product, they could play a part in that.